For the past couple of years we have been receiving complaints about Fife Animal Park, a privately run mini-zoo with a mixture of domestic and exotic animals. Complaints came in from both the public and staff.
Although quite obviously a commercial venture, best described as a diversification project by a farmer, Fife Animal Park was granted charity recognition. However, in October 2013 the whole park, including animals, was put up for sale on a commercial basis with a price tag of £500,000. Charities should not be sold. If they are forced to close, any assets (and in this case that includes the animals) should be donated to another charity with similar aims and objectives.
I immediately alerted the Office of the Scottish Charities Regulator. OSCR acted promptly and banned the sale. This earned the animals a reprieve, but the owners appear to have done nothing to find new homes for the animals in the last four months.
Fife Council has now stepped in and is trying to find suitable new homes for the animals. We have alerted various sanctuaries to the situation. However, two other large animal collections are currently desperately seeking sanctuary and things do not look good.
–John F. Robins, Campaigns Consultant
Animal Concern
P.O. Box 5178, Dumbarton, Scotland G82 5YJ
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